Splicing machines



Jan. 26, 1965 w. H. GILES SPLICING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1962 INVENTOR. W/LZ/AM HUDSON GILES lfm Jan. 26; 1965 w. H. GILES SPLICING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1962 INVENTOR.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 14, 1962 INVENTOR W/A l/AM HUOfid/V GIL ES ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1965 w. H. GILES SPLICING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 14, 1962 n INVENTOR.

W/Ll/AM HUDSON G/ZES 22mm ATTOR /E 6% g b R. 3 \8 N@ 0% 1965 w. H. GILES SPLICING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 14, 1962 INVENTOR. w/u/AM HUDSON 6M 5 A NOR/v5 I F lll United States? Patent )fiice 3,167,269 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 3,167,269 SPLICING MACHINES William H. Giles, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Nu Roll Corp., Mineola, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 223,714 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-58.4)

This invention relates to splicing machines having a pair of supply rolls and means for splicing the web from a fresh supply roll to the trailing end of the web from an exhausted supply web.

' In machines of this character the web is pulled through the splicing machine by feed rolls which feed the web into a machine where it is to be used, such as a wrapping machine.

When the web from the reserve supply roll is to be spliced to the trailing end of the exhausted web the reserve web must be pulled into the splicer at a high rate of speed to match the speed of the exhausted web. This places a shock load on the reserve web and if the paper in the web does not have sufiicient tensile strength to withstand the pull, the paper will be torn. An example of such paper is cigarette paper.

This invention has for its salient object to provide a splicing machine with supplementary or booster driving or feeding means eliminating the shock load as the splice is made by positively driving the paper supply roll from which the paper web is being withdrawn and fed through the splicing machine to a wrapping machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the tension onthe Web being fed, eliminating the need for a brake or other tension control device.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a supply roll drive of the character described and control mechanism for automatically moving the drive for a fresh supply into operation when the paper on the alternative or other supply roll is exhausted. v

1 Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawportion of the machine shown in FIG. 1, this view being an elevation of the portion of the machine shown in FIG..3A;

FIG. '3 is a top plan view of the portion of the machine shown in FIG. 2;

4 FIG. 3A is -a top plan view of the portion of the machine shown in FIG. 2A, parts being omitted.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of the central portion of the machine, showing particularly the control mechanism for the right hand paper feeding mechanism;

FIG." 5 is a detail elevational view, partly in section, showing the driving connections between the central or primary feed rolls and the paper feed driving mechanism atthe left of the center, this view showing the solenoid control for these driving connections;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 66 of FIG. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail elevational view of the primary feed rolls showing the web's in the position taken when they are being spliced.

The invention, briefly described, consists of a splicing machine having primary and secondary web feeding rolls,

each web having secondary feeding rolls so controlled that I when one of the webs is exhausted the secondary feeding rolls for the other web will be automatically set into operation to feed the fresh supply web into a position in which it is spliced to the trailing end of the exhausted supply web.

The invention further comprises means under the con= trol of detector means movable into frictional engagement with the fresh supply roll to drive said supply roll when the web from the other supply roll has become exhausted.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

The splicing mechanism particularly illustrated in the drawings is mounted in a frame comprising a pair of side walls 10 and 11 supported by suitable pedestals Hand 13. a Each of the walls 10 and 11 has extending upwardly There are two sets of web feeding rolls, one for each I of the webs. The web is fed from the splicing machine by feed rolls 22 and 23 which feed the web to a wrapping.

machine or other machine in which it is to be used. The web is withdrawn from the splicing machine by the feed rolls 22 and 23 through a pair of primary feed rolls 24 and 25 which receive the web from secondary feeding rolls, one set of secondary feed rolls being provided for each of the webs. Since both sets of secondary feed rolls are exactly alike and are similarly controlled in their operation, the right handset, viewing FIG. 4, will be described and designated by reference charactersjand the left hand set, which is shown in FIG. 2, will be designated by the same reference characters primed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2A and 4, the right hand auxiliary feeding mechanism comprises a pair of feed rolls and 31. The feed roll 31 is mounted between the side frames 10 and 11 and the feed roll 30 is mounted between a pair of arms 32 and 33 which are pivoted on a stud 34. The arms 32 and 33 have extending downwardly therefrom, brackets 35 and 35, in which are mounted rolls 36 and 37. There' are also rolls 38 and 3? which are mounted between side frame members 55 the are

and 56, and are in staggered relation with respect to rolls 36 and 37.. .Side frame members'55 and 56 mounted on and carried by a transverse bracket 57.

The web being fed passes first around an idler 40, over an idler 41 and a second idler 42, and thence between a pair of rolls 43 and 44. The rolls 43 and 44 when in their normal position, as shown in FIG. 2A, receive the web therebetween, but these rolls are formed of separated sections, as shown particularly in FIG. 6, the sections on the roll 44 being designated'49. The roll sections are so spaced that they can intermesh so that the sections 48 will be disposed between the sections 49 at their peripheries, as shown in FIG. 4. This takes place when the web passing through the rolls 43 and 44, which may be termed detector rolls, is exhausted. The roll 44 is mounted on a bracket 50 pivoted on a spindle 51 which carries the idler roll 42. The bracket 50 can swing on its pivot and is swung in a clockwise direction by a spring actuated switch blade 52 which carries a roller 53, which in turn engages the downwardly extending end 54 of the bracket 50.

Under normal operation, as above described, the web from the roll 16 will pass between the detector rolls 43 and 44, but when this web is exhausted the roll 49 will be forced to the left, or in a clockwise direction, by the spring actuated switch blade 52, thus setting into operation controlmechanism which will now be described.

When the paper web is passing between the rolls 43 'nut68';"' to I The roller 61' is normally held 'in the position shown and 44, the'sWitch bladeSZ will be in a position to holdthe switch controlled thereby open, However when the switch blade moves to the left, this movement being perand isdriven thereby. Whenthe solenoid 60' is'energized a plunger 63 will be pulled upwardly, viewing switch by the switch blades'52 '4 a 1 I I 'and 52, which in turn are controlled'by the detector means 43, 44 or 43 ,44.

1 As these detector rolls moveinto intermeshing relation, the switch blades 52 and.52' controlled thereby. close the 60and105 or 60 and 195' are energized and the switch' FIG; 2. j-The plungerext'ends downwardly through an opening in a link 64', which is mounted on a fixed pivot 65' and is connected by 'a pin and slot 'connection'66to' the end of the arm 6 2'. II I I lowerIendj'o'f the plunger 63" and'isfheld inposition ':by a

in FIG/2 by a spring 69-. When the" solenoid 6 9. is energized,the plunger'will be pulled upwardly,'thu's movingQthe arm, 62' in a clockwi'sejdir'ection andr'noving A spring 67- is mountedonthe switches. When the switches are closed, the solenoids 69 or 60' causesthe r'ollersie lbr .61 to move into 7 driving eng e en with the ,feedroll 31 or 31"." The closing of theswitches alsozenergizes the solenoids 105 or 105', causing the solenoids to release the latches 100 and 110i), permitting the spring 95 or 95' to swing the driving belt 94 or 94'tupwa'rdlytinto' driving engagement with the supply roll. Springs- 106 and 106' are connected to'thejlower ends of the latches 100 and 100 and normally close the latches.

The feed rolls -22 and 23 which pull the web into the wrapping or other machine are connected in the manner above described by the belt 76 and through anoverrunning I Iclutch to drive the shaft 78. The chain 76 is driven at'fa 2O slightly lower speed; than the peripheral speed of the t. rolls 22 ,and 23. This difierenceinfl speeds, however, is r taken care'of by the overrunning clutch. The drive from the roller 61"into-'engagernent; with'th'e' auxiliary feed" I I I I I I drive the'primary feed rolls 24 and 25"at a perlpheral roll'31, thus driving the'auxiliary-feed rolls 3 0'Yan d 31' and feeding the fresh'supply web 20yto theprimaryfeed rolls 24 and 25. This fresh supply web has on thefree end thereof a tape 'Twhich connects the supply web 20 to the trailing end of the web 21'whe'n these webs'pass between the primary'feed rolls 24 andf2 5, as shown in The pivoted arms 3 2 and II I I about the pivot'34' by means iof all-6d 70,"this rod being spring actuated so thatjthe end thereof will restpn the top oforie} of" the side fr 'amefme' mbers'whe n the arms are swung upwardly, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

the control of] detectorrolls 143 and 44 and 4Qfand 44" I is shown panticularly in FIGS. 2

e provided an hi and 2A9.

, As shown in FIG; 1, the shaft-'o fithe driving r511, 23 I has mounted thereon a sprocket 75 which drives a chain 76, which in turn hasa sprocket 77 ffdriven the chain 33 can i be. swung upwardly the shaft'78' tolthe shaft 83" will rotate the shaft 83 to speedfequal to or slightly faster than the peripheral speed of the belt 81. This difference in speed is como and .24 takes place; the rolls will put pressure on the tape, thus pressing the webs into close, contactjand acf r r ar a9r' ial y hi i i i the ti n byv means ofafspring' 71 which encircles'the pivot shaft 34, as shown in"FIG.' 6, and e nga ge s bracketwhichcar f of theexhausted webi 76. Sprocket; 77 is m'ountedflonashaft 78 and be- 5 tween the sprocket 7'7, and the shaft 78 th'ere'is an "over- I 7 running clutch 79'. The vshaft 7,8Qhasal's6 mounted therea l on a pulley S D which, 'througha timing belt "81,Zdrives;y

a pulley 82 on the shaft '83 on" which is moiinted'the, feed roll 25. The shaft 8 3; has also. mountedjthefreon a spur gear 8,4 which' meshes i V shaft 86 'on which is rnountedthe feedfmfl; 24,11 1 I Referring to FIG; 2A, itwillbe""seen that the, shaft 8 3 has also mounted thereon a pulley-8]: which ldr'ives v a belt 88, which in turn drives, a. pulley 8Q'n1ou1it ed on a shaft 90. The shaft90is disposed bctweenthe frame members 10and lland carries a pairof arms 9,1 bjetweenwhichislmo unted a 'pulley flzr Afsecond pulley 93 is:

mounted onthe, shaft between the arms, and a belt M I is driven by the pulley 9,3 and encircles the pulley 92..

The arms 91 are adapted. to 'swingabout the shaft 90 r as an axis and are actuatedjgtoi swing upwardly by" a spring 9 5, shownin 2 arms and the belt 94 carried thereby are 'norrnallyheld in their lower position-bya l atch lqil which engages a pin 10 1fdisp osed 0 stant start ups at full, speed during the run of a supply e il 3 7 la s i 'pi o' ed at 1.02; and extends below'the pivot, thelower end being connected to a link 193, the othergendof which is ,connecte'd to a,

c'oniplishing the splice.

In additionto overcoming the shock? load caused by the force necessary to turn the reserve supplyrroll when the new web is spliced to the exhausted web, the supplernentary or'booster drive of the supply roll prevents the roll from gaining momentumand over traveling the speed of the pull or web feed rolls.- I I V Such speedingup of the supply roll takes place after the reserve supplyroll has been brought upto thespeed The positive belt drive of thetreserve supply'roll prevents this over traveling of the new web or prevents the rollfrorn unrolling the web fasterthan it can; be taken up Because of he; fact that it is generallyextremely difficult' to match two separate" driving speeds exactly, the supplemental orbooster drivefld'escribed above.-has;,two

separate features which tend whet as differential agents to'ove'rcome this matchedfspee'd'problem;'

'The first differential agent is built into, the drive pulley lower than the speed which the wrapping machine is pulling the" webs into the machine. This actually 'is supplyinga drive which'will bring the newfsupply rollup' to 99% of its runningjfspeed, thus eliminating the start-up 'shock loadon theweb. As soon as the new supply roll {starts to turn atrfull speedit is'actually going faster than the driving belt which is' resting on the periphery of the rolls This mea'nsthat before the supply roll can over. travel it must alsotover drive the. drive" belt. The force necessary to cause the drive belt to override istalways acting against the turning supply roll, thus preventing the 1 supply rollf rombuilding up enough momenturn to allow plunger 104 ofa solen'oidi105.- i'I hexssolenoids 105 and 105' are adapted to beJactuated by theclosin'gof the it over travel. I I H v I Moreover, thesupple'mental or. booster drive. allows inrol l, if the machine is stopped for one reason or another. Normally. ;with thin web material the-machine must be brought up to speed very gradually or there is danger of tearing theweb due to an excess start-up 'shock load- The second speed differential agent designed into this application is the design of the main squeeze roll. In this application there is no spring loaded roll to squeeze the splice, but instead, two rolls spaced one web thickness apart. These rolls are driven at a calculated peripheral speed equal to 99% of the actual running speed of the Web, controlled by the wrapping machine. This lower running speed causes the travelling Web to slip through these rolls as the material passes through them. With this system an overlap splice is employed and what actually happens is that the two thicknesses of material plus the thickness of the two faced pressure sensitive tape are actually forced through the one thickness opening, thus causing the necessary squeeze to perform the splice.

It will be noted particularly from FIG. 1 that the arms 91 which carry the driving belt 94 have secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom, a post 110 having a knob or handle 111 at the outer end thereof. This post rests in a slot 112 in the side frame member 11 when the arms are in their lower position in which they are normally latched.

In order to sever the trailing end of the web 21, a knife 115 is pivotally mounted at 116 and is held in retracted position by a spring 117. The knife can be swung upwardly by a handle 118 which extends through the side frame member 11.

When the web is threaded through the feeding mechanism, the arms 70 or 70 are lifted to the dot and dash position shown in FIG. 2. It will be noted that when the arms are lowered the Web is led around the rolls 37, 39, 36 and 38, in an undulating path. This gives added strength to the web, thus enabling it to withstand the tension due to the pull thereon. Also, as explained above, the supplementary drive on the supply rolls relieves the tension on the web.

Summary of operation Assuming that the trailing end of the Web 21 has passed through the detector rolls 43 and 44, as shown in FIG. 4, the switch blade 52 will close the switch and energize the solenoid 105' shown in FIG. 2, thus releasing the latch 100' and permitting the driving belt 94 to frictionally engage the supply roll 15 and rotate the roll. At the same time the solenoid 60' will be energized, thus lifting the feed roller 61' into engagement with the auxiliary feed roll 31 and initiating the downward feeding movement of the web 20. The frictional driving engagement between the feed belt 94 and the feed roll 15 will relieve tension on the web 20.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a splicing machine, a pair of web supply rolls, web feeding rolls for feeding a Web from the splicing machine, web feeding means in the splicing machine for feeding a web from each supply roll, selective driving connections between said web feeding rolls and each of said web feeding means in the splicing machine, detector means for actuating the driving connections for the Web from one supply roll when the web from the other sup ply roll is exhausted, independent driving means for each supply roll operatively driven by said web feeding rolls, and means controlled by said detector means for moving said independent roll driving means into operative roll driving position.

2. In a splicing machine, a pair of web feeding rolls, a pair of web supply rolls, separate feeding means for feeding the web from each Web supply roll to said Web feeding rolls, each of said separate feeding means comprising a fixed frame and a pivoted frame, detector means at one end of the pivoted frame, feeding rolls at the other end of the pivoted frame, one feeding roll being mounted on the pivoted frame and one roll being mounted on the fixed frame, and offset means on the fixed frame and on the pivoted frame for guiding the web in an undulating path.

3. In a splicing machine, a pair of Web supply rolls, Web feeding means for feeding a web from each supply roll, detector means for activating the feeding means for the web from one supply roll when the web from the other supply roll is exhausted, and means connected -to the web feeding means for engaging and rotating a supply roll at a slightly slower speed than the speed of the web feeding means when the means for feeding the web from said roll is activated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,823 Smith June 7, 1932 2,018,842 Durham Oct. 29, 1935 2,834,808 Bradshaw May 13, 1958 3,061,220 Gogg et al. Oct. 30, 1962 3,072,354 Giles et al. Jan. 8, 1963 

1. IN A SPLICING MACHINE, A PAIR OF WEB SUPPLY ROLLS, WEB FEEDING ROLLS FOR FEEDING A WEB FROM THE SPLICING MACHINE, WEB FEEDING MEANS IN THE SPLICING MACHINE FOR FEEDING A WEB FROM EACH SUPPLY ROLL, SELECTIVE DRIVING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID WEB FEEDING ROLLS AND EACH OF SAID WEB FEEDING MEANS IN THE SPLICING MACHINE, DETECTOR MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE DRIVING CONNECTIONS FOR THE WEB FROM ONE SUPPLY ROLL WHEN THE WEB FROM THE OTHER SUPPLY ROLL IS EXHAUSTED, INDEPENDENT DRIVING MEANS FOR EACH SUPPLY ROLL OPERATIVELY DRIVEN BY SAID WEB FEEDING ROLLS, AND MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID DETECTOR MEANS FOR MOVING SAID INDEPENDENT ROLL DRIVING MEANS INTO OPERATIVE ROLL DRIVING POSITION. 